Transferring webs to knitting machines



M. C. MILLER.

TRANSFERRING WEBS T0 KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED D5918, I918.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922..

IAEIQJIBQ 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A TTORlI/EKS' M C MILLER. TRANSFERRING WEBS T0 KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I8, 1918- Patented Nov. 7, 1922'.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z MM/L A TTORA/EYJ M. C. MILLER.

TRANSFERRING WEBS T0 KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-18.1918.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922;

3 SHEETS-SHEE'[ 3 Patented Nov. 7, 192.

UNHTED A IMAY. C. MILLER, F CUMBERLAND HILL, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOE TO JENGKES KNITTING: MACHINE COMPANY, OF PAWTUCKE'IL", RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORA- TION 0F RHODE ISLAND.

TBANSFERRING WEBS T0 KNITTING MAGHIFTESi.

Application filed December 18, 1 .918. t'lerial Ito. 2267,3861.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that T, MAX C. MILLER, a citizen of Germany, residing at Cumberland Hill, in the county of Cumberland and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transferring Webs to Knitting Machines; and T do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to mechanism for edecting the transfer of a knitted fabric to the needles of a circular knitting machine, and to the method of efi'ecting such transfer.

A machine embodying all the mechanical features of the invention in their preferred forms, and adapted for the practice of the method forming a feature of the invention,

is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing so much of a circular knitting machine as is necessary for a disclosure of the invention, the needle cylinder, tuck ring and cam block being omitted for clearness; Fig. 2 is a left-hand side elevation; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4:, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a partial plan view showing the cam block and needle operating cams; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail end view of the slide carrying the heel stitch cam; Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing the needle operating cams in different positions; Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views indicating the levels of the upper ends of the needles at different stages of the transfer; and Figs. 12 to 15 are views indicating the manner of transferringthe loops of the fabric from a quill cup to the needles.

The machine illustrated is provided with a rotary needle cylinder 2 in which the latch needles 4 are mounted in the usual manner. The needles may be provided with the usual long and short butts, and the machine may be provided with cams for raising and returning the instep needles, and with pickers for eil'ecting the narrowing and widening in the usual manner. The machine is also provided with radially movable web holding sinkers 6 mounted in the bed ring 8 which is secured to and rotates with the needle cylinder and the web holders are operated'by the relatively stationary cam ring 10 in the usual manner.

The needle cylinder is carried on and connected to rotate with a carrier gear 12 which is mounted to rotate in a supporting ring 14 and is retained between a flange on the ring and an annular plate 16 secured, to the upper edge of the ring. The supporting ring is provided with three spiral or worm ribs 18 held in engagement with three vertically adjustable pins 20 by rolls 22 which are mounted in a ring 24, and are forced against the ribs by heavy springs 26 acting on the ring 24. The adjustable three-point suspension for the worm ring enables the needle cylinder to be accurately positioned in setting up orreadjusting the machine, while the yielding pressure on the upper sides of the worm ribs prevents any backlash or play, and ensures accurate and uniform vertical movement of the needle cylinder under all conditions. The needle cylinder is raised and lowered to vary the tightness of the stitch by rotation of the supporting worm ring, and is also lowered and raised during the transfer of a fabric to the needles, as will be more fully explained by an abnormal rotation of the worm ring. The worm ring is forced in a direction to lower the needle cylinder by a spring 28 connected to an arm 30 which projects downward from the ring through a slot in the base plate, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3'. The ring is moved in the opposite direction to raise the needle cylinder through a horizontal rod 82, the forward end of which engages the arm 30, and the rear end of which engages an adjusting screw 34: in the lower end of the cam lever 86. The upper end of the cam lever rides on a cam 38 which is secured to the pattern cam shaft- 40 of the machine.

The cams for forming the knitting waves in the needles comprise the main stitch cam 42, i. e. the cam which is active during both rotary and reciprocatory knitting, the heel stitch cam 44 which is active only during reciprocatory knitting, the needle raising side cams 46 and 48, the upper center cam into its inner active position.

after passin the stitch cams are raised to the tuck leve b the side cams, and are supported at this evel by the tuck ring 54, in which the side and lower center cams are formed or mounted.

The needles are leveled for the transfer thereto of a knit fabric, such as a rib top, by withdrawing the heel stitch cam radially from the path of the needle butts, lowering the tuck ring, the needle raising side cams and the lower center cam,.and then rotating the needle cylinder so that the rotary stitch cam will draw all the needles to the knockover plane with their upper ends below the tops of the web holders. In case the lower center cam projects above the tuck level of the needle butts, as in the construction shown, it is provided with an upper section which is moved radially with the heel stitch cam out of and into the path of the needle butts. 'As shown, the heel stitch cam is formed on the inner end of a slide 56 mounted to move radially in a guideway formed in the fixed cam block 58. The outer end of the slide is provided with a downwardly projecting pin 60, which is engaged by a spring 62 tending to force the stitch cam The stitch cam is withdrawn against the tension of the spring by a lever 64, one end of which engages the pin 60, and the other end of which engages the forward end of a rod 66. The rear end of the rod is arranged to ride against a cam 68 carried by the pattern cam shaft 40. The upper section 52' of the lower center cam is formed on the forward end of a cylindrical bar 70 mounted to slide radially in a bearing in the cam block, and forced inward by a spring 72. Aprojecting finger 74 on the slide 56 engages a notch in the bar 70 so that the cam section 52 is moved' radially out of the path of the needle butts when the heel stitch cam is withdrawn.

The tuck ring 54 is provided with a cylindrical base mounted to move vertically within a cylindrical bearing 76 formed in the base /plate of the machine, and is raised and lowered by a camring 78 mounted to rotate in the bearing and provided with three cam plates 80 having cam grooves 82 engaged by pins 84 projecting inward from the base of the tuck ring. The cam ring 78 is turned in a direction to lower the tuck ring bya spring 86 connected with a finger 88 which is secured to. the flange of the ring and projects through a slot in thebearing 7 6. The cam ring is held normally in position to support the tuck ring and cams carried thereby in their elevated or active position, shown in Fig. 8, by a latch lever 90, the inner end of which engages a notch 92 in the flange of the cam ring. and the outer end of which engages a slot in a vertically movable bar 94.

automatically effected.

After the camrring has been released by the latch lever 90, and has been turned by the spring 86 to lower the tuck ring and cams carried thereby, it is returned to its normal position by a pawl lever 108 pivoted on the upper edge of the worm ring, and having its inner end arranged to engage the edge of one of the cam lates 80; on the cam ring. A spring 110 ten s to hold the pawl lover in position to engage the cam plate. The outer end of the lever is arranged to ride against a cam 112 secured in a recess in the bed plate of the machine and arranged to disengage the pawl lever from the cam ring after the ring has been moved into position to be retained by the latch lever 90. r

, In the machine shown,the leveling of the needles at the completion of the knitting is Assuming .that a stocking has been completed, and the yarn guide or yarn guides have been raised to run the stocking off the needles, the pattern cam shaft will be advanced a step, and the cam 68 will operate through the bar 66 and lever 64 to withdraw the heel stitch cam 46, so that all the needles will be brought \to the tuck level except those whichare under the rotary stitch cam, the plane of the needles being indicated by the full and dotted line of Fig. 10. The cam shaft will then be advanced a step, and the cam 104 will act-through the levers 102 and 100 and through the bar 94 to disengage the latch lever from the cam ring 78, so that the ring will be moved by its spring 86 to lower the tuck ring, and with it the side cams 46 and 48and the lower center cam 52 into the position indicated in Fig. 9, in which the tuck ring is in position to support the needle butts at the level to which they are depressed by the rotary stitch cam. During the continued rotation of the needle cylinder the rotary stitch cam will act to level all the needles at the knock-over level,

the plane of the upper ends of the needles llt leveled below the tops of the web holders,

as indicated in Fig. 12. The machine will then be automatically stopped by any wellknown form of stop mechanism, and as it those needles the butts 0 with the depressions between the side and comes to stopping position the cam shaft will be advanced to bring a deep recess 114 in the cam 38 into register with the end of the cam lever 36. This leaves the worm ring which supports the needle cylinder free, so far as the controlling cam 38 is concerned, to be rotated by its spring 28 in a direction to lower the needle cylinder. Such movement. is prevented, however, at this time, by the engagement of a tooth 116 which projects from the edge of the plate 16 on the ring, with a radially movable stop pin 118. This pin is connected to the upper end of a spring pressed lever 120, which may be rocked by the operator to withdraw the pin from the path of the tooth. After the needles are leveled, and the machine stopped, a quill cup 122 carrying a fabric, the loops of which are to be transferred to the needles, is applied to the web holders, the quills of the cup passing between the holders and therefore accurately registering with the needles. While holding the quill cup down on the web holders, the operator will withdraw the stop pin 118, so that the worm ring will be turned by its spring to lower the needle cylinder and web holders until a second stop tooth 124 engages a fixed stop pin 126 and arrests further movement of the ring. The downward movement of the needle cylinder will cause all the needles to be projected up into the quills of the uill cup, except i which register center cams. These needles will move down with the needle cylinder, the position of the tops of the needles and needle butts being indicated at b, b in Figs. 11 and 9, and the position of the tops of the sinkers-being indicated by the line o in Fig. 11. The operator will then give the needle cylinder a partial turn to bring the needles indicated at b, I; up into the uills of the quill cup. The quill cup may t en ipe removed, leaving the loops of the fabr cs carried thereby in engagement with the hooks of the needles.

The latch ring of the machine may then be swung into position, and the machine started. When the machine starts, the cam shaft is advanced a step, and the end of the lever 36 is forced out of the depression 114 in the cam 38, and acts to turn the worm ring back to normal position and to thus return the needle cylinder and web holders to normal or knitting height and into proper knitting relation to the stitch cams. 'During this movement of the worm ring the pawl arm 108 carried thereby will act to return the cam ring 78 to normal position, thus raising the tuck ring and the cams carried thereby to knitting relation with the stitch cams. During the last part. of the movement of the worm ring the end of the pawl lever will ride against the stationary cam 112, so that the end of the lever will be disengaged from the cam ring, leaving it free to be operated as above described when released by its latch lever, which now has reengaged the notch in the ring and re.- tains it in-normal position. When the tuck ring and cams carried thereby are raised to knitting position, all the needles except those which underlie the rotary stitch cam 42, and which register with the recess formed between the side cam 48 and the center cam 52, will be raised to the tuck level, the line of the tops of the needles being indicated by the dotted line (Z in Fig. 11. During the rotation ofthe needle cylinder, the main stitch cam and the needle raising side cam 46 will act to draw all the needles down to the knock-over level, and then return them to the tuck level, so that the loops in the hooks of the needles will be carried below the nibs of the sinkers and retained thereby. The cam shaft will then be advanced a step, and the cam 68 will act to release the heel stitch cam and upper section of the lower center cam while the short butt needles are passing them. These cams will ride on theends of the short butt needles, and will act upon the long butt needles to raise them to the clear leveland start the knitting. As soon as the short butt needles have passed the cams they will advance to their normal position, and thereafter will act upon both the long and short butt needles.

I claim 1. A knitting machine, having, in combination, needles, web holders, knitting cams, means for leveling the needles substantially at the knock-over level, means for lowering the web holders to project the leveled needles above the web holders, means for returning the web holders and for raising the leveled needles to the tuck level, means for operating the needles while below the clear level to draw the transferred loops successively bc low the nibs of theweb holders, and means for thereafter restoring the parts to knit-ting relation.

2. A knitting machine, having, in combination, needles, stitch cams, side cams, means for withdrawing one of the stitch cams from the path of the needles, means for lowering the side cams and leveling the needles by the bination, a needle cylinder, web holders,

needles, stitch cams, side cams, a tuck ring, means for withdrawing one of the stitch cams from the needle path, means for lowering the tuck ring and side cams to a osition below the knock-over level, and for eveling the needles at said level, meahs for lowerlng the needle cylinder and web holders, and means for returning the parts to knitting relation. l

4, A knitting machine, having, in combination, stitch cams, side cams, a tuck ring, means for withdrawing one of the stitch cams from theneedle path, and means for lowering the tuck ring and side cams and leveling the needles b 5. A knitting mach bination, stitch cams, side cams, a tuck ring,

a lower center. cam having an upper section projecting above the tuck level, means for withdrawing one stitch cam and the upper section of the lower center cam, means for lowering the tuck ring, side cams and lower section of the center'cams to a position below the knock-over level, and for leveling the needles at said level and means for returning the parts to knitting relation.

6. A knitting machine,- having, in combination, long and shortbutt needles, web holders, knitting cams including main and heel stitch and side cams, mechanism for automatically withdrawing the heel stitch cam and lowering the side cams to a position below the knock-over level during the rotation of the needle cylinder to level the needles substantially at the knock-over level, mechanism for returning the side cams during the rotation of the needle cylinder, and mechanism for thereafter returning the heel stitch cam when registering with the short butt needles.

7. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a main stitch cam, a radially movable heel stitch cam, side cams, a vertically movable tuck'ring carrying the side cams, means for withdrawing the heel stitch cam for moving the tuck ring to lower the side cams below the knockover level and for leveling the needles at said level, and means for raising and lowering the needle cylinder.

8. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a. needle cylinder, a main stitch cam, a radially movable heel stitch cam, side cams, a lower center cam having a radially movable upper section, and a vertically movable tuck ring carrying the side cams and the lower section of the center cam, and means for withdrawing the heel stitch cam and the upper section of the lower center cam, for moving the tuck ring to lower the side cams below the knock-over level, and for levelingthe needles at said level.

9. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a rotary supporting ring therefor provided with worm ribs, vertically adjustable supports for the ribs, and means engaging and pressing downward on the upper sides of the ribs.

10. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a rotary supporting ring therefor provided with worm ribs,

the other stitch cam. me, having, 1n com a vertically adjustable pin uyerlying each rib, and means'engaging and pressing downward on the upper side of each rib.

11. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a rota supporting ring therefor provided with t ree worm ribs, a Vertically adjustable support underlying each rib, and means engaging and pressing downward on each rib.

12. 'A knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a rotary supporting ring therefor provided with three worm ribs, a vertically adjustable pin underlying each rib, and a spring operated pressure ring carrying rolls engaging the upper sides of the ribs.

13. The method of transferring loops of a fabric from a quill cup to the needles of a circular knitting machine which consists in leveling. the needles at substantially the knock-over level, applying the quill cup to the web holders of the machine, projecting the needles into the quills, removing the quillcup while all the needles are within the quills, returning the needles to the tucklevel, drawing the needles successively down from p, the tuck level to the knock-over level and returning them. to the tuck level only, and

thereafter initiating the knitting.

14. The method of transferring loops of a fabric from a quill on to the needles of a circular knitting machine which consists in leveling the needles at substantially the knock-over level, applying the quill cup to the web holders of the machine, lowering the needle cylinder to project the leveled needles into the quills of the quill cup, removing the cup, returning the needle cylinder and raising the needles to the tuck level, drawing the needles successively down from the tuck level to the knock-over level, and returning them to the tuck level to draw the transferred loops below the nibs of the web holders while the needles remain below the clear level.

15. The method of transferring loops of a fabric from a quill cup to the needles of a circular knittin machine which consists ,in leveling the neec les below their normal level, applyin r the quill cup to the web holders of the mac ine, projecting the needles into the quills, removing the quill cup while all the needles are within the quills, drawing the transferred loops below the nibs of the web holders, while the needles remain below the means for relatively moving the needles and web holders while the needles arebelow the clear level to carry the transferred loops below the nibs of the web holders after the machine has been again started, and means for thereafter restoring the parts to knitting relation.

17. A knitting machine having, in combination, a needle cylinder, web holders, knitting cams, means for leveling the needles, pattern mechanism for rendering said means active before stopping the machine, manually controlled means for lowering the needle cylinder to project the leveled needles up- Ward with relation to the Web holders, means rendered active by the pattern mechanism after the machine is again started for raising the needle cylinder in knitting position and for restoring knitting relation between the needles and knitting cams.

18. A knitting machine having, in combination, a needle cylinder, web holders, knitting cams, means for leveling the needles below their normal level, pattern mechanism for rendering said means active before stopping the' machine, manually controlled means for projecting the leveled needles upward with relation to the web holders, and means rendered active by the pattern mechanism after the machine is again started for restoring to knitting relation the needles, web holders and knitting cams.

ring within which the gear is mounted to ro- 7 tate, and devices acting upon rotation of the ring to -move it vertically.

20. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotary needle cylinder, a carrier in which the cylinder is secured, a rotary supporting ring in which the carrier is mounted to rotate, worm ribs on the carrier and supports forthe ribs.

21. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotary needle cylinder, a gear car rying the cylinder, a rotary supporting ring in which the gear is mounted to rotate, devices acting upon rotation of the ring to move it vertically, and a pattern mechanism for rotating the ring during the rotation of the needle cylinder.

22. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotary needle cylinder, a rotary worm rin for supporting and for raising and lowering the needle cylinder, a cam and connections for controlling the rin during the knitting, the cam being recessed to perrnit an abnormal movement of the ring'after the machine is stopped, and to restore the ring upon starting the machine.

- .MAX 0. MILLER. 

